Squeeze-spray dispensing package



June 14, 1966 E. c. LEONARD SQUEEZE-SPRAY DISPENSING PACKAGE Filed April7. 1964 FIGG INVENTOR.

EDWIN C. LEONARD BY A TTORNE V1.5

United States Patent 3,255,934 SQUEEZE-SPRAY DISPENSING PACKAGE Edwin C.Leonard, Richmond, Va., assignor to Eskimo Pie Corporation, Richmond,Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 358,398 8Claims. (Cl. 222-211) This invention relates to a squeeze-spraydispensing package, or container, and particularly to a small sizecontainer designed for storing in a non-upright position.

A large number of squeeze-spray containers are available but theconstruction is such that their contents can leak out through thepassages within the container through which air is expelled or admittedin the squeezing operation when the container is not upright. A liquidtight closure can be secured to the container to prevent externalleakage but this requires a separate cap which can be lost and,furthermore, the cap sometimes contains liquid when removed.

A further disadvantage in containers now in use is that they have flatbottoms and will not dispense all of their contents since the lower endof the liquid feeder tube lying in one corner of the flat bottom is notimmersed in liquid when the contents of the container have beenconsiderably depleted, and the container is tilted so that this corneris the elevated one. In packaging liquids in a small container in whichthe volume of liquid dispensed is not great, any residual liquid in thecontainer is highly wasteful and must be avoided.

A primary object of the invention is, therefore, to produce asqueeze-spray container Whose contents will not leak from the containerwhen it is tilted from the upright position.

A further object is "to provide a simple, leak-proof squeeze-spraycontainer having an integral, closing cap.

Yet still another object is to provide a squeeze-spray container fromwhich substantially all of the contents can be dispensed.

Yet still a further object is to provide a simple, leakproofsqueeze-spray container for one time usage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe description which follows:

The above objects have been accomplished by designing a squeeze-spraycontainer having a neck plug, from which the spray is projected from aspray orifice, which is movable within the container neck between aspray dispensing position, in which the spray orifice is exposed to theatmosphere, and a sealing position, in which the spray orifice ispositioned within the neck opening. To insure a liquid tight seal, theair passage Within the container is extended to a central portion of thecontainer to lie above the liquid level when the container is tilted toany position. Further, the bottle is formed in a heart shape to have asingle small well or sump in the bottom in which the fluid feeding tuberests so that essentially all of the contents of the container will bedispensed.

All of the above is explained in the detailed description of two of thepreferred embodiments of the invention which follows and are illustratedby the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of one embodiment of the dispensing containerpartially cut away and showing the dispenser in both the spraydispensing position and in the sealed position.

FIGURE 2 is a partial section of the container of FIGURE 1 taken alongsection 22 of FIGURE 1 with the dispenser in its sealed position.

FIGURE 3 is a partial section of the container of FIGURE 1 taken alongthe section 33 of FIGURE 1 with the container in the spray dispensingposition.

3,255,934 Patented June 14, 1966 FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of thecontainer of FIGURE 1 taken along the section 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 but ofanother embodiment of the container.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the container of FIGURE 5 taken alongthe section 6--6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 1 shows a hollow squeeze bottle dispenser 10 with external walls11 of a flexible material and having a dispensing neck opening 12 at thetop of the bottle. The container 10 is generally heart shaped with thelarger upper cross sectional portion 13 at the top of the containerimmediately below the neck opening 12 and tapering symmetricallyinwardly below this larger upper section to form a lower, small,semipointed bottom portion, or sump 14. The container is of a volume tobe only partially filled by the amount of fluid which it is intended todispense.

Snugly, but slidably fitting within the neck opening 12 is an elongatedcylindrical plug 15 of substantially the same diameter as the neckopening 12 to seal the neck but be slidably therewithin. The top portionof the plug 15 extends outwardly as an upper flange 16 of largerdiameter than the remainder of the plug to overlie the rim 17 of thecontainer neck in a manner to prevent the plug 15 from being pushedcompletely into the container 10. The plug 15 is sufliciently long sothat the lower end 18 extends to the central interior portion of thecontainer 10 to lie above the fluid level of the container filled to itsintended capacity when the container is tilted to any position, threetypical positions of the fluid level being illustrated by lines 19, 20and 21 of FIGURE 1 to illustrate the upright, horizontally inclined andinverted positions, respectively of a full container. A generallyconical shaped spray orifice 22, through which the contents of thebottle are sprayed, is cut into the wall of the plug 15 immediatelybelow the flange 16. An outwardly extending collar 23 extends around theperiphery of the plug 15 at a point below the flange 16 so as to contactthe inside of the container at the junction of the neck opening 12 andthe flaring portion of the container walls 11 when the spray opening 22is a short: distance above the rim 17 of the neck, as best seen inFIGURE 3.

The central portion of the plug 15 has a longitudinally extending lowerbore 24 extending from the lower' end 18 a substantial length of theplug to a level below that of the spray orifice 22. Extending upwardlyfrom the upper end of the lower bore 24, an annular groove 25 is cutinto the plug to extend upwardly above the top of the lower bore 24 asan upper recessed groove at the top of the lower bore 24. A smallerdiameter upper bore 27, concentrically located with respect to the lowerbore 24, extends from the top 26 of the lower bore to a point which islevel with the apex of the spray orifice 22. A small diameter airpassage 28 is recessed as a small groove across the upper face of theupper bore 27 to connect at one end with the inner apex of the sprayorifice 22 and at the other end with passage 29 which extends downwardlyas a vertical groove in the back wall of the upper bore 27 opposite thespray orifice 22, the vertical air passage 29 terminating at the top 26of the lower bore 24 within the plug. The upper end of a hollow flexibletube 30, whose outer diameter is approximately equal to that of theupper bore 27, is engagingly fitted within the upper bore 27 to have thetop end of the tube 30 flush with the lower wall of the horizontal airpassage 28 so that the central passage 31 of the hollow tube 30communicates with the air passage 28. The tube 30 is sufficiently longto extend from the air passage 28 to the sump 14 at the bottom of theheart shaped container.

To close the container and place the sealing plug 15 in a sealingposition, the top of the plug 15 is pressed downwardly within thecontainer neck until the flange 16 contacts the rim 17 of the neck, atwhich time the spray orifice 22 abuts the inside of the opening 12 inthe position shown in full lines in FIGURE 1 and in FIG- URE 2. To placethe plug in the spray dispensing position, the plug 15 is liftedvertically until the collar 23 impinges on the lower end of the neck 12at the junction With the flaring container wall 11, at which time thespray orifice 22 lies above the rim 17 of the neck and is incommunication with the atmosphere. By pressing the sides of the flexiblecontainer, air is forced through the air passages 28 and 29 from thecentral portion of the container via the bore 24 of the plug and drawswith it fluid through the passage 31 of the fluid supply tube 30 toissue as a fine spray from the spray orifice 22, in the well-knownmanner.

FIGURE represents a slightly different embodiment than that of FIGURE 1.In the embodiment of FIGURE 5 the arrangement of the spray nozzle 22,air passages 28 and 29, the fluid supply tube 30 and internalconfiguration of the neck closing plug are the same as in the embodimentpreviously described and illustrated in FIG- URES 14. The maindifference between the two embodiments is that the plug 15 in theembodiment of FIGURE 5 is not vertically slidable within the neckopening 12 but is axially rotatable therewithin. The plug 15 has thesame outwardly extending top flange portion 16 which overlies the rim 17of the container neck as in the previously described embodiment but hasan outwardly projecting collar 32 extending peripherally around the plug15 located below the flange 16 a distance equal to that between the toprim 17 of the neck and the juncture of the bottom of the neck andflaring container Wall 11 so that the plug 15 is free to rotate aboutits axis within the neck but cannot be moved vertically. An opening 33of a diameter equal to the largest diameter of the conically shapedspray orifice 22 is cut through the wall of the neck 12 in the sameplane as the spray orifice 22. The

inside of the neck 12 has a transversely positioned groove 34 extendingpartially around its circumference. An abutment 35 extends outwardlyfrom the plug 15 to ride within the groove 34. The ends 36 and 37 of thegroove 34 are located so that the abutment 35 striking one end 36 willposition the spray orifice 22 in communication with the opening 33 inthe neck in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 5, and striking the otherend 37 will position the spray orifice 22 so that no portion overliesthe opening 33 in the neck and seal the container in the manner shown inFIGURE 6.

Thus, to close or open the spray dispenser in the second embodiment, theflanged top 16 is rotated as far as it will go in one direction or theother to either place the spray orifice 22 in a sealing position withinthe neck or in a spray dispensing position with the orifice 22 incommunication with the neck opening 33.

Obviously slight variations of the above described embodiment areentirely possible. For example, instead of having a lower bore 24 of alarger diameter than the upper bore 27 within the plug, the lower bore24 could be eliminated and the smaller upper bore 27 extended downwardlyto the lower end 18 of the plug. In this case, the length of thevertical air passage 29 would be considerably extended.

While the above matter describes and illustrates preferred embodimentsof the invention, it should be understood that the invention is notrestricted solely to the described embodiments but that it coversmodifications which would be apparent to one skilled in the art fallingwithin the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A squeeze-bottle dispensing package for dispensing an establishedamount of fluid contained therewithin said package comprising:

a hollow container of flexible material with a neck defining dispensingopening,

an elongated plug having a transversely directed spray orifice extendinginto its side wall near the upper end and closely slidably fittingwithin said neck opening to be movable between a spray dischargeposition in which said orifice communicates with the atmosphere and asealing position in which the exterior of said orifice sealingly abutsthe interior surface of said neck opening,

said plug containing an internal continuous air passage having an upperportion extending transversely into said plug from said orifice and theremaining portion extending longitudinally within said plug from theinner terminal of said upper portion to communicate with an opening atthe lower end of said p said plug being of a length that the lower endterminates within the central interior of said container to be above thelevel of the established amount of liquid within the container with theplug in any position and the container in any attitude,

and a hollow tube aflixed to said plug with the top end of said tube incommunication with said transverse upper portion of the air passage andthe lower end of said tube resting in the bottom of said container.

2. A squeeze-bottle dispensing package as described in claim 1 whereinsaid container is generally heart shaped with the neck located at thelarger upper end of the container and the container sides below the topsection taper inwardly to form a gently rounded, semipointed bottom sumpin which the lower end of said hollow tube rests.

3. A squeeze-bottle dispensing package as described in claim 1 whereinthe wall of said neck opening is pierced by an opening in the same planeas said spray orifice,

and said plug motion restricting means comprises means for retainingsaid plug at the same level within said neck opening for axial rotationand means for limiting said axial rotation between a position in whichsaid orifice is aligned with said opening in said spray dischargeposition and a position in which said orifice is out of communicationwith said opening in said sealing position.

4. A squeeze-bottle dispensing package as described in claim 3 whereinthe top portion of said plug above said orifice is larger in diameterthan said neck opening to form an outwardly extending flange resting onthe rim of said neck to prevent downward motion of said plug within saidneck,

said plug has an outwardly extending projection spaced "below saidflange a distance equal to the spacing between the top of said neck andthe lower end of said neck opening within said container,

said projection engages the interior of said container at the juncturewith the lower end of said neck opening and, in conjunction with saidflange, preventing vertical motion of said plug within said neck openingbut allowing axial rotation of said plug,

and said plug and container neck have an abutment and partiallyperipherally extending groove arrangement in which said abutment engagesthe ends of said groove at said spray discharge and said sealingpositions, respectively, to restrict axial motion of said plug withinsaid neck opening.

5. A squeeze-spraybottle containing a specific amount of liquid to bedispensed through a spray orifice through the sidewall of an elongatedhollow plug slidably fitting within a neck opening of the bottle to bemovable between a spray discharge position in which the orificecommunicates with the atmosphere and a sealing position in which theorifice sealingly abuts the interior of the bottle neck, the upperportion of the plug containing an internal air passage having an upperportion extending transversely into the plug from said orifice and theremaining portion extending longitudinally within said plug to terminateat an opening at the lower end of the plug with a midpoint of the upperportion of said air passage connected to one end. of the hollow tubeextending through said plug to have the other end of the tube lying inthe bottom on the bottle,

said plug being of a length to have the lower end terminate within thebottle interior to be above the level of said specific amount of liquidwith the plug in any position and bottle in any attitude. 6. An improvedsqueeze-bottle container as described in claim 5, wherein the upperportion of said container, terminating at its top in said neck opening,tapers inwardly below its maximum cross sectional perimeter to form abottom sump portion having a substantially lesser cross sectionalperimeter than the portions thereabove and in which the bottom of saidhollow tube is located.

7. A squeeze-bottle dispensing package for dispensing an establishedamount of fluid contained therewithin, said package comprising;

a hollow container of flexible material with a neck defining dispensingopening in the upper portion of said container which tapers inwardlybelow its maximumcross-sectional perimeter to form a bottom sump portionhaving a substantially lesser crosssectional perimeter than the portionthereabove,

an elongated plug having a conically shaped spray orifice extending intoa sidewall near the upper end portion with the larger end of saidorifice facing outwardly,

said plug closely and slidably fitting within said neck opening to bemovable between a spray discharge position in which said orificecommunicates with the atmosphere and a sealing position in which theexterior of said orifice sealingly abuts the interior surface of saidneck opening,

said plug being of a length to have the lower end terminate Within thecentral interior of said container to be above the level of theestablished amount of liquid when said container is in any attitude andthe plug in any position,

said plug having a central bore extending longitudinally from the lowerend portion to the same level as the apex of said spray orifice,

said bore having a cylindrical upper portion and a cylindrical lowerportion which has a substantially larger diameter than said upperportion,

said plug having a transversely extending air passage formed by a recessextending across the upper face of the top end of said bore upperportion and extending between the inner apex end of said orifice and thetop end of a vertical passage extending longitudinally along the upperportion of said bore and formed as a recess extending downwardly in thewall surface of said upper bore,

a flexible hollow tube of substantially the same diameter as said upperbore with one end of the tube tightly and sealingly engaged within saidupper bore portion in communication with the air passage and the lowerend of the tube resting in said sump,

and means for restricting the motion of said plug within said neckopening between the spray discharge and sealing positions.

8. A squeeze-spray bottle dispensing package as defined in claim 7wherein the wall of said neck opening is pierced by an opening in thesame plane as said spray orifice,

said plug has transverse projections extending outwardly therefrom aboveand below said opening to engage the surfaces of said container atpoints faced outwardly from said neck opening and prevent verticalmotion of the plug within the neck opening while allowing axial motiontherein,

and said plug and container neck have an abutment and partiallyperipherally extending groove arrangement in which said abutment engagesthe ends of said groove at the spray discharge and the sealingpositions, respectively, to restrict axial motion of said plug withinsaid neck opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN, PATENTS2/1963 Great Britain. 3/1964 Great Britain.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner. CHARLES R. CARTER, Examiner.

1. A SQUEEZE-BOTTLE DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING AN ESTABLISHEDAMOUNT OF FLUID CONTAINED THEREWITH SAID PACKAGE COMPRISING: A HOLLOWCONTAINER OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WITH A NECK DEFINING DISPENSING OPENING,AN ELONGATED PLUG HAVING A TRANSVERSELY DIRECTED SPRAY ORIFICE EXTENDINGINTO ITS SIDE WALL NEAR THE UPPER END AND CLOSELY SLIDABLY FITTINGWITHIN SAID NECK OPENING TO BE MOVABLE BETWEEN A SPRAY DISCHARGEPOSITION IN WHICH SAID ORIFICE COMMUNICATES WITH THE ATMOSPHERE AND ASEALING POSITION IN WHICH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID ORIFICE SEALINGLY ABUTSTHE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID NECK OPENING, SAID PLUG CONTAINING ANINTERNAL CONTINUOUS AIR PASSAGE HAVING AN UPPER PORTION EXTENDINGTRANSVERSELY INTO SAID PLUG FROM SAID ORIFICE AND THE REMAINING PORTIONEXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITHIN SAID PLUG FROM THE INNER TERMINAL OFSAID UPPER PORTION TO COMMUNICATE WITH AN OPENING AT THE LOWER END OFSAID PLUG,